[Malcolm Armsteen]

Somewhat different circumstances, though but.

[kreuzberger]

Somewhat different circumstances, though but.

Somewhat closer.

2008, Obama won the Presidency and the Tea Party rabble started making their noise. The Americans are where they are today - on a helter-skelter to full-blown fascism.

[Yug]

Is someone on Reddit reading Malcolm's Mail Watch posts?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Other way round...

[Rosvanian]

Another thing I just cannot fathom is this insistance that these clueless arseholes are goimg to shine a light on council spend and procurement when all of this information has been published on council websites by law for decades. Every invoice, every contract, every contract opportunity, all available if they can be arsed to look.

[Tubby Isaacs]

They’re basically Eric Pickles 2010. The aim is to keep publishing nuggets that sound bad, like Elon Musk.

[Crabcakes]

Another thing I just cannot fathom is this insistance that these clueless arseholes are goimg to shine a light on council spend and procurement when all of this information has been published on council websites by law for decades. Every invoice, every contract, every contract opportunity, all available if they can be arsed to look.

I think you’ve touched on the answer already - they can’t be arsed.

[Rosvanian]

This has affected me more than ever imagined. I can't my head around the fact that my neighbouring council just up the road is going to be controlled by a bunch of clueless bigots who in all likelihood haven't got the feintest idea what the council actually does. That and the fact that these councillors are going to have to work with Durham's 18,000 strong workforce when in fact they despise anyone who works in the public sector.

[Youngian]

People get the politicians they deserve. Best case scenario is that they put on their big boy trousers after getting a stern lecture on how stuff works and why there's no hidden boxes of money under the stairs. "They're just like the rest, innit for themselves," will be their base's verdict within 18 months if they're mildly competent.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ha ha, that is possible. I think they'll feel under pressure to freeze council tax. Every new broom (Bozo, Alex Salmond) pulls that one. See how that goes.

[Tubby Isaacs]

This has affected me more than ever imagined. I can't my head around the fact that my neighbouring council just up the road is going to be controlled by a bunch of clueless bigots who in all likelihood haven't got the feintest idea what the council actually does. That and the fact that these councillors are going to have to work with Durham's 18,000 strong workforce when in fact they despise anyone who works in the public sector.

It really hit me too. And Reform didn't do particularly well in any of the councils next door to here (Shropshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, actually they did top the poll in the last), and no elections here (Herefordshire).

One thing I don't get at all is the "blue collar" appeal. I don't think a leader could look less attuned to that if he tried. The same people doubtless laugh at Starmer talking about what his Dad did.

[kreuzberger]

Bullies can smell fear, we can all smell fear, and the ReFlux mob is no different. Nor is their toadlike talisman.

(That taken-aback body language of Starmer is worrisome.)

[Tubby Isaacs]

This has affected me more than ever imagined. I can't my head around the fact that my neighbouring council just up the road is going to be controlled by a bunch of clueless bigots who in all likelihood haven't got the feintest idea what the council actually does. That and the fact that these councillors are going to have to work with Durham's 18,000 strong workforce when in fact they despise anyone who works in the public sector.

Presumably there were a fair few beneficiaries in Durham from the Government boosting mining pensions. Can't get much more blue collar boosting incomes than that. Seems like they got zero thanks.

[Boiler]

Killing the planet with our excessive energy consumption is "woke", apparently.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgenl77d50wo

Just a bit steeper, all that was needed...